1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a smaller, simpler hinge device, and a mobile apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A mobile apparatus such as a mobile phone or a camcorder has a display part that can rotate away from a main body. Accordingly, a user opens the display part of the mobile apparatus and moves the display part away from the main body by a predetermined distance to adjust a rotation angle of the display part. To do so, the display part of the mobile apparatus is hinged to the main body.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a conventional rotatable hinge device. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional rotatable hinge device 10 comprises a main bracket 11 having a hinge unit 18, a shaft 12 rotatably engaged with a penetrating opening 11a of the main bracket 11, a pair of cams 13 and 14 that fit over the shaft 12 and restrain rotation of the main bracket 11, and an elastic member 15 disposed between the pair of cams 13 and 14 and the penetrating opening 11a to press the main bracket 11. A detector 16 may be formed above the cam 13 to operate a rotational angle sensing switch (not shown). A fixing member 17 is fixed under the shaft 12, and the elastic member 15 may include a spring washer. The pair of cams 13 and 14 comprise a lower cam 14 having a protrusion 14a to make a click when rotating, and an upper cam 13 having a recess 13a to receive the protrusion 14a. Accordingly, when the rotatable hinge device 10 rotates, the lower cam 14 and the upper cam 13 are placed into frictional contact with each other so that the hinge implements a free stop movement, and the protrusion 14a of the lower cam 14 and the recess 13a of the upper cam 13 impart the feeling of a click. The phrase free stop movement refers to the ability to stop at an arbitrary rotational angle, and hereinafter will be referred to as a free stop.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the rotatable hinge device when the rotatable hinge device is engaged with a mobile apparatus. As shown in FIG. 2, the fixing member 17 of the rotatable hinge device 10 fixes the shaft 12 to the display part 2, and the hinge unit 18 connects the shaft 12 to the main body 3 of the mobile apparatus.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are views of an upright camcorder 1 with the rotatable hinge device 10. FIG. 3A shows the display part 2 closed, and FIG. 3B shows the display part 2 opened.
Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the display part 2 of the upright camcorder 1 can be rotated about an X axis of FIG. 3B by the rotatable hinge device 10 so that the display part 2 can be opened from the main body 3. When opened, the display part 2 can be rotated about a Z axis of an X-Y plane of FIG. 3B, that is, from the main body 3, by the shaft 12. Accordingly, a user rotates the display part 2 to adjust an angle of a screen when the display part 2 is opened from the main body 3. The upright camcorder 1 observes a subject using the display part 2 such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) instead of a general viewfinder.
The conventional rotatable hinge device 10 has relatively large-sized parts, such as the main bracket, so it occupies a large space in the mobile apparatus. Compact mobile apparatuses, such as an upright camcorder that uses a hard drive or flash memory, requires a more compact hinge device in comparison with a mobile apparatus that uses a deck unit and a magnetic recording medium, such as tape. Additionally, part of the conventional hinge device is exposed to the outside by an installation line L1. This interferes with the aesthetics of the mobile apparatus.
Accordingly, there is a need for a more compact hinge device for a mobile apparatus.